5 Surprising Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight
You’ve done everything right in order to lose some weight. But despite your strict fitness routine and new diet, you’re not seeing the results you expected. Perhaps you adopted the wrong fitness regimen? They say it works because it worked for others. Surprisingly, it didn’t for you.
Weight loss plateau is a common challenge among people especially you, an aspiring pro cheerleader in training, who's on a weight loss journey. That plateau is a frustrating time in which your fitness efforts no longer show. There are many factors that cause your body to hit a plateau.
Let’s discuss those factors here one by one so that you can fix them and get back on track.
1. All you do is cardio.
The number one mistake that women into fitness make is putting all their focus on cardio. No doubt about it, cardio is a great way to lose weight. But cardio is just a piece of the pie. To achieve long-term success in fitness, you need to incorporate strength training. Lifting weights increases muscle mass and helps you lose 40% more fat, even hours after your workout session. On cardio days, aim for high-intensity workouts.
Suggested reading: What is Cross-Training and How Can You Benefit from It?
2. You’re overwhelmed with stress.
Cortisol, the stress hormone, is released by your body in times of tension. The rise in cortisol levels triggers the rise of insulin. Insulin makes your blood sugar levels drop and when this happens, you crave high-fat and high-sugar foods. So even if you exercise well, being under constant stress sabotages your efforts to lose weight.
3. You eat more pre-packaged “healthy” foods.
Do you often skip preparing meals at home and grab a 100-calorie pre-packaged product at the grocery instead? For one, you don’t really know all the ingredients inside that food. Preparing foods yourself gives you more control over the ingredients you put in - how much sugar, salt, cheese, and seasoning you want to include. After all, learning how to cook whole foods yourself makes you more responsible for your health and fitness goals.
4. Lack of protein in your diet.
Based on a research in the journal Nutrition Metabolism, people on a fitness regimen lost 11 pounds in 3 months and consumed 450 fewer calories daily when they ate more protein. Protein promotes weight loss because it builds more muscle and increases your metabolism. Protein molecules are also known to regulate appetite. Jumpstart your day by filling yourself up with a high-protein meal. Try avocados, eggs, and cottage cheese with fruit and toast.
Suggested reading: 10 Best Superfoods To Add To Your Diet
5. Binge eating healthy foods.
We assume that because a food is healthy, we can eat as much as we want. Portion control is an essential weight loss strategy. So, regardless of the food you eat, what matters is how much you take in. Binging on fruits basically lets you consume more calories. If you don’t burn those calories, they get stored as fat. Don’t let too much of healthy foods get the best of you. Be mindful of portion size at all times.
Dukedietandfitness.org shares a diagram below to help you visualize portion sizes:
Final Thoughts
It's not too late to work on making your fitness regimen better for the professional cheerleader auditions. Put in mind that setbacks such as these are normal but there'll always be room for improvement. Check in on your progress regularly to stay on track with your goals.
Can you picture yourself dancing under the bright lights alongside gorgeous cheerleaders, cheering for the NFL or NBA?
If you dream of joining a professional dance team audition but have no idea on how to get started, my book entitled Professional Cheerleading Audition Secrets: How To Become an Arena Cheerleader for NFL®, NBA®, and Other Pro Cheer Teams will guide you every step of the way.
I decided to write this book to help you discover the best tips and advice on staying fit and beautiful, adopting the right mindset, maintaining your image, and more - based on my 20+ years of experience in the professional cheerleading industry.
Grab your own copy of my book by clicking the text or image below:
